Re: Google and the New America Foundation have teamed up to launch a Google Moderator about the National Broadband Plan

Frank, I agree. I routinely see people compare US broadband speeds and 
penetration to South Korea and other parts of Asia, even though the two 
are incomparable. The US doesn't have anything remotely like the 
population density of Southeast Asia, and population density is directly 
tied to the capital expense and ROI of telecommunications infrastructure.

It took decades to deploy copper infrastructure for telephone service, 
and it was 100 years before the entire phone network was digital (Qwest 
only replaced their last analog switch a few years ago!)

A reasonable expectation is that it will take 30-40 years to fully 
deploy fiber-optic based services throughout the US (including all rural 
areas). Hurrying the process by throwing Federal money at it, will only 
achieve another near-monopoly because big companies are the ones that 
have the lobbying power needed to gobble up federal dollars, contribute 
back into election campaigns, and otherwise game the system.

I disagree with you that Federal help is needed in rural areas. In the 
past 14 years since deregulation, we have seen an unprecedented 
explosion in broadband services and in the technologies used to deliver 
it. ISDN, Satellite, WiFi, WiMax, Fiber, DSL, BPL, Broadband over Gas 
Pipes, etc etc. There is no one-size-fits-all solution here, and 
injecting federal money into the system will only push back the day when 
the right solution (or combination of solutions) is found for Rural America.

Subsidizing the infrastructure will lead to requiring subsidies for the 
operation. That's what we have now, with billions of dollars a year 
funneled into supporting unprofitable rural telephone companies. We need 
incentive to develop technology to make these operations profitable, not 
action that will merely extend the dependency.

Regards,

Jawaid Bazyar
foreThought.net



Frank Bulk wrote:
> http://moderator.appspot.com/#16/e=a4977
>
> I got to spout in this forum, because there's no way to comment on some of
> the ideas posted in Google Moderator.  
>
> Just breeze through some of the ideas -- it's clear that most people think
> that gov't will solve our broadband problems.  Second, it appears that most
> people lack faith in capitalism and free market principles.  Not saying that
> the general public doesn't have good reason to believe that ISPs have let
> them down sometimes, it's just that people think that gov't can do it better
> and/or cheaper than private enterprise.
>
> Generally speaking, competition has worked for urban and sub-urban areas,
> and industry is developing their network and service offering in a way that
> makes money.  Apparently people are speaking out of the populist side of
> their brain and not their pocketbook, because I guess they don't want to
> earn a return in their mutual funds or stocks.  How many MSOs aren't
> building out DOCSIS 3.0, even though the capital costs for head end
> equipment is enormous, and every upgrade requires a new modem and perhaps a
> truck roll.  Same with Verizon's FiOS and AT&T Universe.  People forget that
> these upgrades are costing these companies billions of dollars.
>
> In some sub-urban areas and rural areas, where there is no broadband
> available (or limited/no competition), it hasn't happened because the ILEC
> (nor anyone else, for that matter) perceives a return on their investment.
> In those cases, there does need to be some incentive or assistance to make a
> build out happen.  
>
> As long as no flaming arises, I would be interested in hearing from others
> on this topic, too.
>
> Frank
>
>   

-- 
<http://www.foreThought.net> 	Jawaid Bazyar
President
[email protected] <email:[email protected]>
ph 303.815.1814
fax 303.815.1001
	Communications Simplified

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